


don't blame me too.

by projectfreelancer



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Healing Love, Implied/Referenced Abuse, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-21
Updated: 2018-07-21
Packaged: 2019-06-13 17:39:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,139
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15369819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/projectfreelancer/pseuds/projectfreelancer
Summary: Shiro's thoughts are interrupted with a hand to his shoulders. He turns his head enough to see Keith looking at him. He’s not surprised to find his presence next to him. After the meeting with Adam, after Shiro had said he needed to be alone, he knew Keith would seek him out in the end.He always does.





	don't blame me too.

**Author's Note:**

> DON'T take this too seriously. Adam isn't even a real character yet. My friends and I were just thinking of how if Adam was a horrible boyfriend/fiance, Keith is his healing love. So I wrote that. Set in season 7, I guess.
> 
> The title is taken from Die For You by The Weeknd.

_Don’t expect me to still be here when you come back._

The words always ring low in the back of Shiro’s mind: during the mission, during his torture, even when Keith wraps his arm around him and rescues him. Shiro should have known better. That Adam would be right; that it would end like this. He always had a way of being right. Had a way to make sure Shiro knew he was right too. And Shiro should have listened when he had the chance.

He should have listened. Adam did not want him to leave, and Shiro understood why, but yet —

It didn’t matter. Not really. In the end, he was going to die soon enough.

His thoughts are interrupted with a hand to his shoulders, light, gentle in a way people barely treat him. He turns his head enough to see Keith looking at him. He’s not surprised to find his presence next to him. After the meeting with Adam, after Shiro had said he needed to be alone, he knew Keith would seek him out in the end.

He always does.

“Are you okay?” Keith’s voice is barely a whisper, as if Shiro may just break at anything louder. It’s always funny to Shiro, how Keith can treat him like that sometimes. Can ignore how it was Shiro who found him in his youth, how Shiro could probably rip apart Keith if he had the chance. How Shiro almost _has_ ripped apart Keith, lingering whispers from Haggar still infiltrating his mind when he least expects it.

Shiro is not okay. Not sure he has been ever since he left for the Kerberos mission. But that is not Keith’s issue to deal with. “I’ll be alright,” hopes his tone doesn’t betray him as the words leave his mouth.

Keith’s eyes do not look convinced, a moment of silence passing between the two of them before Keith sighs. “You don’t deserve that, Shiro,” and Shiro doesn’t have to ask him what he means. Who he means. Just closes his eyes, tries to not overthink the words. _I love you_ hums in the back of his mind now, mingling alongside _don’t expect me to —_

“You deserve someone who supports you.” And it shouldn’t mean anything to Shiro. Keith is younger than him, closer to his age now than he was before, but still. He was supposed to be Keith’s mentor. The one who had faith in the boy when everyone had continued to abandon him, call him worthless. And now Shiro opens his eyes, can’t meet Keith’s gaze. He looks at the scar lining Keith’s cheek, and more guilt settles heavy in his stomach at the sight. His hand reaches up without a thought, fingers hesitant to press against the scarred skin. Another faint whisper in the back of his mind, _if you leave, if you leave you can’t find anything better than what we already have._

_Don’t expect me to still be here when you come back._

“I’m sorry,” is all Shiro can say to him. He’s not sure what for **:** for what he did to Adam, for not listening, for what he’s done to _Keith_. His fingers finally press against the scar now, and Keith’s eyes flutter shut for only a moment, and then his hand is resting against Shiro’s. Neither say anything for a while, as if anything would shatter the scene between them.

“It wasn’t you.”

“Keith—”

“It wasn’t you.” Shiro isn’t sure who Keith is trying to convince more, himself or Shiro. “It’s not your fault. Stop blaming yourself.” His tone is harsh now, but in a way that only means he means what he’s saying. “You don’t have to blame yourself. For this,” and with the words, Keith’s thumb strokes over the back of Shiro’s hand, “Or what happened with Adam.”

Shiro pulls his hand away fast at that, not prepared to hear anyone mention the name. He tries to ignore the look Keith gives him, the small expression of hurt. Just another thing he’d have to blame himself for causing. “How did you know —”

Keith’s expression turns even more sour at the questioning, embarrassment flaring on his cheeks. “I mean, he obviously wasn’t very happy today. But I heard you two … arguing. That night.”

“Were you … eavesdropping on us, Keith?” The idea of it all almost makes him want to laugh. If it had just been any other night. Any other conversation. Keith was always able to find SHiro, no matter what. Has probably overheard a million things Shiro has said to others.

“Not on purpose. I heard about the mission, and I needed to say — I don’t know. I wanted to say goodbye to you. And I just heard what he had said.”  


 

 **(** Keith never brings it up because this is Shiro. The man that Keith trusts with everyone. The man that saved Keith, that showed him a future he never thought he deserved. Shiro was stronger than him; Shiro was braver; Shiro was older than Keith no matter how much Keith wished he wasn’t. He’s in no place to judge whatever company Shiro keeps around. Least of all judging Shiro’s — boyfriend. Fiance. The word alone turns something sharp inside Keith’s gut, but nothing as sharp as Keith feels when he watches how Adam treats Shiro. Always demanding, always harsh, always making Shiro choose between what he wants and what Adam thinks he deserves. So Keith never questions it, or ever tries to talk to Shiro about it, because he trusts him. He wants him to be happy. **)**

 

Shiro isn’t sure what to say. He hates the idea of anyone having heard what happened. Hates the idea of Keith hearing the things said between the two. Hates the way Keith looks at him now.

“Would you go back to him, if he was here? If he forgave you for leaving?”

And Shiro looks at Keith closely. Shiro knows what this question really entails to Keith, the weight behind it all. Fragile hope, breakable feelings that Keith holds. He wants to say _yes_ just to wipe the look of desire off Keith’s face. But he cannot. Thinks of everything Keith has ever done. The time in the desert, _your friend wants to desperately see you,_ _as many times as it takes, i love you._ It’s all too much. Things Adam had never said; things Adam would never do. And Keith says it all so easily, letting everything roll off his tongue without a second thought. Risking his life for Shiro as if it is an instinct within him.

He wishes he was able to say yes to keith’s question. Instead, all he can reply with is, “No. I don’t think I would. Not with everything I have now.”

The smile that graces Keith’s lips as he says it is worth it enough.


End file.
